You know how we are in a situation right now with Covid-19 where we feel out of our element? We can’t do what we want and are struggling to find a new norm? The Fish who Found the Sea is a bit like that. A fish, who started to think about his situation, and suddenly was rather uncomfortable about it all. Speaks abit to our times does it not?
What I am Reviewing
The Fish who found the sea was written by Alan Watts. It runs at 32 pages and is geared for children 4-8 years old. Published by Sounds True, this picture book was superbly illustrated by Khoa Le. I received an ARC copy from Raincoast Books for this review.
In this tale of a tail, we meet a fish with a curiously familiar problem – he’s gotten himself so mixed up that he spends all his time chasing himself in circles! Only the Great Sea knows how to help our poor fish get out of the mess he’s created with his own runaway thoughts.
Alan Watts was an accessible and entertaining interpreter of Eastern philosophy in the West. A teacher whose popularity has only increased over time, he wrote more than 25 books. This is his only teaching story created especially for children.
The Details for The Fish Who Found the Sea
Khoa Le has made excellent use of all the shadings of blue possible. The sea is filled with the lightest of blues in the curl of a wave. But the darkest of blues hint as the sheer depth of the oceans. A brilliant orange-red shows us little fish, a philosophizing fish with deep questions on his mind. His colour contrasts greatly with the blues of his water world.
On every page we see the questions little fish raises. With those questions, danger comes. How will little fish find the answers he needs? Will little fish live to see the end of this tale?
Gradually we get to see the answers to little fish. Little fish slowly learns how to accept the world he lives in. To receive the help he is offered. So together with little fish, the reader also learns.
The result … sheer joy! “He swooped and climbed and danced in joy – a creature is his true element”.
Share the joy with your children. Joy is a good place to be in.
Should you Get it?
I found it a nice little book and well suited to the times we live in. I could only find it on Amazon.ca. It’s a remake though, so you just might be able to find an original copy somewhere.
The message is clear, adjust to where you are in life. Accept the help you are given. A timely message for the situation we currently find ourselves in. It is a good book to share with your littles, give them a broader perspective!
Sounds like it is a precious book and the illustrations are pretty.
yes, it’s a good book. My take away might not be quite the lesson he was going for, but it’s the lesson I heard loudly throughout. 🙂